David Dame, in a LinkedIn post, said, “We are all going to be disabled one day. Some of us just beat you to it.” While he is correct, that is not the full story. I said, quoting his post, “I do not think of myself as ‘disabled.’ Instead, I think of myself as having ‘insufficient […]
How Do We Differentiate Between Being Disabled and Our Insufficient Abilities? Read More »
The Tartan Army has left Boston. They are bringing their joy to other locales. The local newspaper, the Boston Globe, took out a full-page ad, thanking the Tartan Army. While I can’t find the actual ad, there was a post on X showing the ad: https://x.com/BenVolin/status/2068384741313634405. (Somehow, I can’t embed that into this post, so
How Can We Find and Use Our Courage to Maintain Our Joy? Read More »
While I manage my alcoholic intake because of my vertigo, there is nothing like a great beer at just the right time. On vacation, or on a hot summer day, especially after something active. Right now, there are World Cup games all over the world, with several here, in Boston. And what happened in Boston?
How Could Anyone Run Out of Beer? (A Note on the World Cup and Culture) Read More »
This is Johanna Rothman’s June 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. We have no end of problems to solve or manage these days. Some problems are “today” problems, where we have an immediate need to solve that problem. In the Eisenhower Matrix above, that’s the
How Can We Assess Risks to Solve Both Today’s and Tomorrow’s Problems? Read More »
Most of us have some form of inner critic. That critic tells us we are Wrong. Or Stupid. Or Bad. (This includes Imposter Syndrome.) My inner critic often shows up when I’m writing. You should see the blog post I’m not publishing because I’m writing and publishing this one. (If I can figure out how
How Can We Acknowledge and then Manage Our Inner Critic? Read More »
I’m questioning everything about my business. Not just my writing, but what I want to offer and to whom. (I do this on a regular basis because I don’t want to become bored with what I offer.) That means I’m going to start something new. Often, I don’t quite know how to start that thing.
Which Practices Help You Avoid Starting Paralysis to Try Something New? Read More »
Long ago, a manager told me that I needed to socialize the changes I wanted to make. She recommended I meet with people before the decision meeting. That seemed like a waste of time to me. Why should I meet with people in advance? Couldn’t I just explain what I wanted, we would discuss, and
How Do We Find Our Support System for the Changes We Want to Make in the World? Read More »
This is Johanna Rothman’s May 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. I’m in the midst of a gigantic life roll. That’s the name for when life picks you up, rolls you in a carpet, and throws you off a cliff, bumping down rocks all the
How Can We Use “What’s Next” and “Now What” to Offer New Options? Read More »
Once I learned to read independently, I read everything in sight. Cereal boxes at the breakfast table, books, anything with writing on it. And yes, I was the kid who used a flashlight under the covers to read after my parents thought it was bedtime. At the time, I thought reading was a guilty pleasure.
How Can Reading Help You Think, Live, and Solve Problems Better? Read More »
When you think about where to invest your money or time, what do you consider? Winning? Losing? Maybe reducing the chances of losing too much? Many of us do not want to lose, a classic case of loss aversion. Yet, that is not the same as playing or choosing to win. I’m not suggesting that
How Can We Play to Win, Not Just Manage Possible Losses? Read More »